Tests
Introduction
The choice for closed or open forms of testing firstly depends on the training targets you want
to evaluate.
Especially in the case of closed tests is not or hardly possible to measure training targets at a
higher level of understanding. Open forms of testing are most suitable for that.
Other aspect however play a role, like demands of objectivity and honesty. It often happens
that closed forms of testing are chosen because working with these forms can be more
efficient.
OPEN QUESTIONS
Essay tests
An essay test exists of limited number of questions, that students have to answer extensively.
Arguments in favour of using this kind of tests are:
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it is a good way to check whether the student is able to explain, to compare and to
summarize. Also it provides the student with a certain level of freedom in
answering the question. Essay tests are therefore fine to test training targets in the
field of knowledge at the level of analysis, synthesis and evaluation;
essay tests also can serve to check whether the student has good editorial qualities;
it is easy to construct essay questions;
the chance that the student will guess the answer is very limited.
Arguments against the use of this kind of test are:
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the extensiveness of the answer makes that your test can only contain a limited
number of questions. This makes that you can only test the control over a limited
area of the studied material. The balance of the test is endangered;
correction by the trainer takes a lot of time;
is is difficult to work objectively while correcting the test. The clarity of the
handwriting, the fluency in writing, the skill of the student to let ‘the truth in the
middle’, influence the judgement of the trainer.
Short answer tests
A short answer test exists of more questions than an essay test and the length of the answers is
limited. The answer is limited by indicating that it must be given in a number of lines or by
indicating how many facts, reasons, arguments or aspect the answer must contain.
Arguments in favour and against using this kind of questions are in the same line as those of
the essay tests.
The advantages concerning the level of testing are less strong for the short answer questions;
the disadvantage of imbalance does not exist in the case of a short answer test.
Construction of essay tests and short answer tests
Apart from the general criteria of every test (balance, validity, reliability), the following
should be taken into account while drafting essay and short answer questions:
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put the question in such a way that there can be no misunderstanding at the side of
the students concerning the answer they have to give
indicate what you expect from the student concerning the length of the answer, the
number of arguments/causes/aspects/etc.
determine the ideal answer on beforehand
determine on beforehand which answers besides the ideal answer are correct or not
correct
Completion tests
Completion tests exist of statements that a student has to complete by one or more words.
Advantages of completion tests are:
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the students can make a lot of questions. This supports the balance of the test
fast correction
often it is a matter of answers that are ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, making a rather objective
correction very well possible
the chance that the student guesses the answer is limited
easy way to construct questions
A disadvantage of completion tests is:
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the only thing you do is asking about knowledge aspects or understanding of
concepts (dates, places, names, concepts). Testing a higher level of control is
almost impossible under this testform.
Construction of completion tests
Apart from the general criteria of every test, completion tests ask for the following:
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construct a question in such a way that the open space comes at the end or almost
at the end of the question
never more than one or two empty spaces per question to be filled in
provide clarity abou the kind of answer you want to be given (clarify whether you
want to hear a year, a concept, etc.)
take care that only one correct answer is possible
take care that all open space have the same length. Otherwise you may create the
impression that a long or short answer should be given
CLOSED QUESTIONS
Yes/No tests
The student has to state whether a statement is true or untrue, correct or incorrect.
Advantages of Yes/No testst are:
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improved objectivity in judgement
many questions can be posed, improving the balance of the test
correction takes little time
Disadvantages of this kind of questions are:
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there is 50% chance to guess the correct answers (this chance has to be taken into
account in the judgement)
testing at a higher level of control is difficult
the construction of this kind of tests is time consuming. You have to realise that a
statement has to be absolutely correct or incorrect.
Construction of Yes/No questions
Apart from the general requirements for tests the following goes for Yes/No questions:
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take care that test questions are absolutely correct or incorrect
avoid making trick questions
better not use negative questions; if you do so, point it out clearly
Multiple choice tests
A multiple choice test consists of a number of questions with precoded possibilities to answer.
A multiple choice question consists of a trunk and generally four alternative answers. One of
the answers is correct, the others are diverters.
The advantages and disadvantages of multiple choice tests are comparable to those of the
Yes/No tests. The construction of multiple choice questions however is more complex.
Construction of multiple choice tests
Think about the following:
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ask clearly what it is about and do not use a complex sentence construction.
Formulate accurately.
avoid trick questions and ambiguity
also avoid questions that suggest the correct answer
avoid if possible negatively posed questions. If needed, stress that the question has
been posed negatively (e.g. by underlining the word NOT)
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the items must be mutually independent, meaning that you should not ask the same
thing twice but in another form and avoid that an item is the correct answer to
another item
the question must not include incorrect or disputable information
include in the question as much as possible all the words that otherwise have to be
repeated in each of the alternatives
make all alternatives attractive and ‘resembling’, otherwise the student will come
to the correct answer just by exclusion
all alternatives should have more or less the same length
the incorrect alternatives must not contain words or concepts that are unknown to
the students
the alternatives must be formulated such, that in a linguistic way they are well
connected to the question
all alternatives must be of the same kind
avoid that alternatives overlap each other
the correct alternative must be placed according to coincidence. A student will
become uncomfortable when e.g. he only seems to cross alternative ‘A’
preferably make the trunk of the question as a full sentence
Matching tests
These tests exist of questions where data from two columns have to be combined in pairs of
data that belong together.
The advantage of this form of testing is that there will only be right or wrong answers, which
easifies the correction and judgement (fast and honest).
Disadvantages are:
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only knowledge is tested
if one combination is answered incorrectly, this will immediately cause two
incorrectly answered questions. On the other hand if you can answer 4 out of 5
questions, you automatically answer number 5 correct. This can be avoided by
inluding more aspect in the right column than in the left one.
In adult education the use of this kind of questions is limited.